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Cordyceps, also known as caterpillar fungus, is a medicinal mushroom which is believed (by both traditional herbalists and many Western scientists) to be one of the most potent and health improving herbs in the world. In Chinese and Tibetan medicine, Cordyceps has been ranked as the number 1 medicine for more than 2,000 years.

Cordyceps is a rare fungus that grows in the mountains of Tibet, Nepal and China. There are more than 680 species of Cordyceps, but the most famous and well known is Cordyceps sinensis. Cordyceps sinensis is one of the many species of parasitic fungi native to North Eastern China. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine in treating medical conditions like cirrhosis of the liver.

Cordyceps belongs to the family of numerous mushrooms, which are, actually, parasitic organisms, growing wildly on the caterpillars in the high plateaus of China, Nepal, and Tibet. The fruiting body of Cordyceps looks like grass. That is why it is called Winter Worm – Summer Grass besides Deer Fungus, Caterpillar Fungus, and Aweto. The natural environment of Cordyceps sinensis is the mountainous areas of north-western China at an altitude of 3–5,000 metres above sea level. Climatic conditions are very severe, with average temperatures of 0.2–0.8°C, humidity of 50–70% and snow for 140–286 days a year.

Cordyceps sinensis has been used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine as a natural remedy for more than 2,000 years. The imperial Quing dynasty used Cordyceps for treating kidney and lung ailments, restoring physical strength and the immune system, and rejuvenating and enhancing sexual energy.

Cordyceps was believed to be a cure-all herb, able to fortify all the body systems, providing anti-aging, immune boosting, and strength increasing effects. This mushroom was especially popular for its ability to improve male sexual function, working as an aphrodisiac. Its influence on the human organism was often compared to that of ginseng.

Chemical Constituents:

“host defense potentiators” (HDPs): polysaccharides, ophiocordin (an antibiotic compound), cordypyridones, nucleosides, bioxanthracenes, sterols, alkenoic acids, hemicellulose, triterpeniods, complex starches and exo-polymers. Special emphasis is made on two chemicals, which are believed to be active Cordyceps compounds: cordycepin (deoxyadenosine) and cordycepic acid (mannitol).

Health Benefits:

Traditional Chinese medicine promotes the fungi’s ability to restore the proper function of the liver. This helps in reducing inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. With the revitalization of the liver comes its ability to properly eliminate toxins within the body, thus improving over-all health. Cordyceps restores the function of the kidneys and liver, dissolves kidney stones and stones of the gall bladder and hepatic ducts, regulates metabolism primarily of lipids (fats), reduces fatigue and improves sleep.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Cordyceps is used to restore normal body function, support the immune system, the endocrine system and the kidneys, to heal the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and to help maintain proper blood viscosity.

Cordyceps Sinensis aids in the proper regulation of growth hormone production. This leads to an increase in the quality of human sperm and egg.

Study has shown that Cordyceps reduces blood glucose levels, improves tissue insulin sensitivity and stimulates liver cells to capture the excess blood glucose and the accumulation of it in the form of glycogen.

Cordyceps also help improve the respiratory system by facilitating increased transportation of oxygen and nutrient to other parts of the body. This eliminates symptoms of fatigue, stress and depression.

Cordyceps increases the production of testosterone and hormones associated with adequate sexual functioning thus increasing sexual desire in both men and women.

Cordyceps Sinensis is known to improve blood flow by reducing levels of bad cholesterol found in the blood, Healthy blood flow in the entire body especially the sexual organs means better and longer lasting sexual performance. With healthy blood flow the risks of heart attacks and strokes are significantly reduced. can reduce the amount of lipids in the blood, prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis, stimulate blood formation, slow the growth of tumours and reduce recovery time from exhaustion. It also has a strong antioxidant effect.

In the West, an extract of Cordyceps became famous as a powerful aphrodisiac, in addition to all of its other useful properties, and as a rejuvenating agent. Folk medicine has used this mushroom for the treatment of coughs, anaemia, tuberculosis, back pain, impotence, infertility, night sweats and senile weakness.

Cautions:

Cordyceps is toxic if in very high dosage. It is always good to consult a doctor to know the optimal dosage your body can handle.